Pasteurizing apparatus



Nov. 30, 1937.

B. E. GETCHELL 2,100,330 PASTEURIZING APPARATUS Filed June 6, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 .Fzg'. I.

. 9 1937- B. E. 'GETCHELL PASTEFURIZING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 6, 1956 v INVENTOR BENJAMI E. GETCHELL Patented Nov. 30, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE PASTEURIZIN G APPARATUS necticut Application June 6, 1936, Serial No. 83,840

Claims. (01. 219-40) 10 raisedto a definite temperature for a definite period of time and cooled to a temperature suitable for bottling.

One object of my present invention is to provide for a steady flow of liquid and control of the 10 temperature so that the pasteurized and cooled milk may be discharged at a rate to synchronize with the operation of a bottling machine.

A special object is to simplify the apparatus required for the carrying out of the process. In

the past it has been proposed to control the operation of the system partially by varying the speed of flow automatically, for instance by controlling or varying the pump motor speed or by automatically controlling a valve in the, circulating system.

By my present invention I control the temperature by varying the time during which the milk is heated and by varying the power input to the heating chamber.

Apparatus for carrying out certain steps will be found more fully shown and described in my former application. In my present invention, however, I vary the rate of flow of the liquid by a manually controlled valve in the circulating system and I provide a plurality of pairs of electrodes in the heating chamber, one or more of which may be entirely deenergized so that the flo'w time during which a pasteurizing current is applied may be increased or decreased by cutting in or out one or more pairs of the electrodes.

I further control the temperature by selectively varying the voltage applied to one pair of the electrodes. 'The electrodes are protected by suitable water cooling means to prevent overheating and further provision is made for causing the. milk toreturn to the heating chamber in case it fails to reach a predetermined minimum temperature. Variations in the temperature of 5 the raw milk, variations in the electrical conductiviy of the m k. variations in room temperature and variations inline voltage are at least partially compensated for automatically by a system of relays and a voltage regulator all under the control of a switching device or contactor actuated by a thermostatic device having its sensitive element located in the path of the heated liquid.

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view showing the liquid circulating system with the thermostatically actuated control contactor and recording device.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view showing the electrical system.

The liquid may be stored in one or more reservoirs such as 4 and 5, one of which for instance may contain the raw milk and the other a suitable solution to be used in starting operation. A valve 6 serves to direct the flow of liquid from one tank or the other to the pump I. This pump is driven by an electric motor 8 and is of such a character that when the pump stops the liquid can flow backward through the pump.

A circulating system includes a pipe 9, a regenerative coil, heat exchanger or preheater In, a heating chamber H, a holding chamber [2, and a spreader or spray head I3 from which the heated liquid trickles down over the preheater. As it is usually desirable to cool the treated liquid to a predetermined low temperature, I provide a cooling coil ll above the collecting trough l5 from which the pasteurized and chilled liquid passes by pipe 16 to a bottling machine or other disposal point.

The motor 8 is of the induction type intended to run at a substantially constant speed and the rate of flow of the liquid is adjusted by means of the manually operable valve 11 in the pipe line 9. The liquid may pass through a filter I8 located in the bottom of the heating chamber or any other convenient point. It will be understood that all parts of the liquid circulating system are so designed andconstructed that they may be readily separated and cleaned and readily re-assembled.

A switching device or temperature controlled contactor 20; such as shown in my former application,'has a" sensitive element or bulb 2| at the top of the heating chamber. The temperature of the liquid immediately as it leaves the heating chamber is visually indicated by a thermometer 22 and the temperature of the liquid after it has passed through the holding chamber is recorded in instrument 23. I 'he electrodes of the heating chamber are cooled by a flow of water over their outer surface.

Instead of having a single pair of electrodes at opposite sides of the heating chamber as in my former application, I provide a plurality of pairs of electrodes such as 25 and 26 which are independently connected in the circuit. a

It will thus be seen that with the liquid. passing through the heating chamber at a given rate, current will be applied to the liquid for the length of time that it takes to pass between the various electrodes, thus by cutting out or deenergizing one pair of electrodes the liquid will be subjected to electrical action only during the time required to pass the live electrodes.

General description of electrical circuits The system is designed to operate on a standard commercial 110/220 volts 3 wire A. C. circuit.

In the drawings the parts are shown diagrammatically for purposes of clarity in illustration. It must be understood that all the relays and magnetic contactors are drawn to indicate a downward movement of their contact making portions when the coils thereof are energized, and to indicate an upward movement when the coils are de-energized.

A manually operated switch 30 controls the pump motor 8. It also energizes the line side of switch 3 I;

The control switch 3! is dependent upon switch 30 for its supply of energy. This switch 31 furnishes the power to all of the control circuits, and also to the alarm circuit.

Temperature controlled contactor 20 is operated by means of a bulb or sensitive element 2i in the milk flow, just above the heating chamber and is responsive to variations in temperature' of the milk. In it are three contacts: 3 5, which actuates the circuit guarding against milk flow below the minimum pasteurizing point; 33, to correct temperature if it drops /2 degree or more below the pasteurizing point; and 32, to correct temperature if it rises /2 degree or more above pasteurizing point.

The three stationary contacts 32,33 and 3t cooperate with two movable contact members 35 and 36. The movable members are actuated'in a well known manner by the thermostatic device whose bulb H is above the heating chamber.

The lower unregulated section 25 of theheating chamber l I is energized from the 220 volt line and is not under variable control.

The'upper regulated section 26 of the heating chamber is under the variable control of the voltage regulator '50.

A water relay 44 is in the circuit of the coils of contactors 45 and i! furnishing power to the heating chamber. Failure of cooling water flow over the electrodes of the heating chamber will cause this relay to interrupt the supply of power to the heating chamber.

Milk relay 60 is in the circuit with the alarm contactor Bl. If the milk in the raw milk tank drops below predetermined level,, relay 6!) will open the magnet circuit of this contactor, allowing the alarm circuit to go on and notify the operator.

The pump motor 8 is undermanual control of switch 38, and under automatic control of relay.

An induction regulator 50 furnishes variable power to section 26 of i the heating chamber.-

- This induction regulator is automatically operated by its motor 51 to furnish any voltage from to 220 to the heatingchamber section 26. Voltage is governed by milk temperature through the action of contactor 20.

The regulator motor is actuated by relays 53 and 55 which are under the automatic control ofjthe temperature controlled contactor 20.

circuit is completed through relay fidwhich opens the pump motor circuit. If there is no conducting fluid such as milk or saline solution beyond the top of the heating chamber at ill the circuit through relay 50 will not be completed and the pump will not stop. I

A magnetic contactor 55 controls the supply of power to the lower section 25 of the heating chamber. This contactor is under automatic control of the water relay 36 and pump stop relay til.

A magnetic contactor ll furnishes power from the induction regulator to the upper section 26 of the heating chamber. under automatic control of water relay tl.

At 49 is a 220 volt to 110 volt transformer. It furnishes the regulator with power at 110 volts and also isolates the regulator circuit from the main line circuit soas to prevent cross feeds in the heating chamber.

Relay ill controls the pump circuit and also controls the coil circuit of contactordii. This relay is under the control of the minimum pasteurizing point contact, 341, of 28. When this relay 50 is energized it opens both the pump circuit and the coil circuit of contactor 85.

A relay 53 supplies power to the induction regulator motor 5i causingit to operateto raise voltage on the heating chamber 2%. Relay 53 is under control of contactor 29.

Relay 55 controls the motor 56 of the induction regulator 50 and causes the motor to operate to lower the voltage on the heating chamber 26. Relay 55 is under control of 20. v

The numeral 6! indicates a relay which is normally energized and holds the circuit of alarm Under normal conditions with the temperature of the milk flow within degree of the set-pasteurizing temperature, closedxswitch 3d energizes the pump motor, and closed switch it energizes the operating circuits. The magnet of contactor 55 is energized, causing its contacts to close and furnish power from the 220 volt'line to section 25 of the heating. chamber.

The magnet of contactor 47 is energized causing its contacts to close and furnish power from the induction regulator 50 to section 26 of the heating chamber. When the main line switch, which is not shown in the drawings, is closed, transformer 69 is immediately energized and the primary winding of induction regulator 50 is also energized, but power is not supplied from 50 to section 26 until control switch 38 is closed. A circuit is also established through relay ti causing its contacts to move downward and hold the alarm circuit open.

Of course, as before stated, the magnets of contacts 35 and 37 will not be energized unless water is flowing over the electrodes, of the heating chamber 25 and 26 thus completing their circuit at l i.

lilormal low temperature control ceurizing temperature set in contactor 20, contact arm 35 engages contact 33 and establishes a. circuit through the coil of relay 53 causing its contacts to move downward and complete a circuit through induction regulator motor 5|, starting this motor in the proper direction to raise the voltage on the heating chamber 26. As'

Hz'gh temperature control If the treated milk rises to a temperature 2 degree or more, over the pasteurizing temperature, contact arm 35 engages contact 32 of contactor 20 and establishes a circuit through, the coil of relay causing its contacts'to move downward and establish a circuit through regu lator motor 5| causing it to operate to lower the voltage through the heating chamber 26.

As soon as the temperature has come within degree of the pasteuri'zing temperature set in contactor 20, contact arm 35 will disengage from contact 32 and will open the circuit through regulator motor 5| and normal operation will be resumed as described above.

Abnormal low temperature control For practical purposes in the pasteurization of milk, contactor 26 is set so that contact 34 corresponds to a 160 minimum pasteurizing limit. If the temperature of the treated milk drops to this low limit, contactor 26 has first established a circuit through relay 53 causing the regulator motor to boost the voltage through chamber 26 in an endeavor to bring the temperature back to normalQ (See Normal low temperathrough chamber 26 for an additional reheating, and this operation will --be continued until the temperature reaches the proper point, at which time normal operation will be resumed as described above. Each time relay 40 de-energizes the pump motor circuit it also opens the coil and contact circuits of 45, which tie-energizes 25. When 46 again energizes the pump motor it also causes 45 to re-energize 25.

Cooling water failure control In case of failure of flow of cooling water over the electrodes of the heating chamber sections 25 and 26, which is liable to cause the milk to burn to the surfaces of the electrodes when passing through, relay 44 opens the ground circuit of the magnets of contactors 45 and 47. This causes these contactors to de-energize the heating circuits, of 25 and 2B. In this case the temperature of the milk will immediately drop and contact arm 36 will engage contact 34 to energizethe coil of relay 4!} which will immediately stop the pump motor. The milk will now flow back through the ture control) This it has failed to do and con- 1 tact arm 36 will now engage contact 3 4 thus establishing the circuit energizing the coil of re-- laylfl. Energizing the coil of this relay 46 causes its immediately reverses andfiows backward through the heating chamber. a Section 25 of the heating chamber is de-energized so as to cut down the heat supply to this backward milk flow.

Section 26 of the heating chamber is energizedv contacts tofopen the pump motor circuit and stop to furnish a small amount of heat to this back flow. As soon as all the milk is returned to the heating chamber the milk contact to auxiliary electrode 4| is broken, which de-energizes the v coil circuit or relay 46. This immediately reenergizes the pump motorcircuit and the milk is started on forward flow again, but as soon as it reaches electrode 4| and the control bulb 2| of contactor 20, the pump will again stop due to re-establishing the circuit through the coil of- 40 at 4|. If the v milk is now above degrees due to the heat added in section 26, contact arm 36 will disengage from contact 34 which will in turn de-energize the coil circuit of relay 40 allowing the pump to continue in operation. If the milk is, not up to pasteurizing temperature,

contactor 23 will maintain this circuit through the coil of relay 40 and it will hold the pump motor circuit open and the milk will again flow back 'trically operated signaling device.

heating chamber but will not be reheated because the chamber is de-energized. As soon as the milk chamber sections 25 and 26. As soon as this is done 25 will be energized and as soon as the heat is again brought up to the proper pasteuri-zing temperature, operation will be resumed as described under Normal operation? Lowmz'lk alarm For the purpose of notifying the operator that his supply of raw milk is getting low, relay 60 is placed in the raw milksupply; and as soon as the level of the milk drops below a predetermined point the eircuit'through the coil of relay 6| will be broken. This allows the contact of relay 6| to close a circuit through alarm 63 which may be a bell (as shown), ailight, or any other elec- Stariz'ng the plant To start the operation of this apparatus, either one of two methods may be employed, the first and preferable of. which involves the use of a solution ofsalt in water'of about the same electrical conductivity as the milk. In this method,

the temperature controller 20 is set for a pasteurizing temperature above at which setting contact arm 36 cannot engage contact 34 and the pump is not stopped on flow temperatures below the nL'nimum pasteurizing point. Tank 4 is provided with milk and tank 5 is provided with the saline solution. Valve 6 is turned to permit fluid from the saline solution tank, to flow through the system. Valve I1 is set to approxi mately the flow des'red. The electrode cooling I water is turned on, and the waste water from the electrodes actuates the water relay 44 so that when control switch 3| is closed, circuit will be established through magnetic contactors 45 and 41. v

Switch 36 is now closed, which starts the pump motor 8 and supplies power to the line side of switch 3|. Switch 3| is now closed, which actu-i section 26 ofthe heating chamber, as described above under Normal low temperature control.-

Thus during the period of bringing the saline solution from cold up to the set pasteurizing point, both sections of the heating chamber are energized and the highest voltage is applied to section 26.

The fiuid passing through the heating chamber is gradually raised in temperature and is passed over the regenerative coils"). This results in raisingthe temperature of the fluid as it enters the heating chamber, and further raises the temperature of the fluid as it leaves the heating chamber. This increased heat, in turn, raises the temperature still further and the cycle continues until the temperature of the treated fluid reaches the pasteurizing temperature as set at 2B.

The contactor 26 may now be set at a desired working pasteurizing temperature, say 162. This will cause contact arm 35 to disengage from contact 33 and open the coil circuit through relay 53, establishing normal operating conditions. Almost immediately contact arm 35 will engage contact 32, due to the new lower setting, and the operation described under High temperature control will take place, resulting in the decrease of power to section 26 of the heating chamber. then drop rapidly until it reaches within onehalf degree of 162, for which 20 is set. At this time contact arm 35 will disengage from contact 32, open the circuit through regulator motor temperature will cease to fall, and normal operation will start. The temperature of the treated fluid will now stabilize at 162 and any variation one-half degree above or below that point will cause proper operation of the induction regulator to correct the temperature to the set point.

Valve 6 is now thrown overso as to cause the milk to flow from tank 5 and follow the saline solution through the system, thus driving all of the water out of the system and establishing a steadyflow of milk. As soon as this is accomplished, the milk is led to the bottling machine I by pipe it. If the speed of flow does not synchronice with the bottling machine speed, it may be increased or decreased by manual operation of valve H and the controls will act to maintain the temperature of the pasteurized milk at the proper point automatically, regardless of any change that may be made within reasonable limits.

The process of shutting down the plant is the reverse of starting, and is accomplished simply by throwing the valve 6 in position to supply saline solution to the pump.

This solution follows the milk through the system, driving it all out, at which time the controls may be thrown off and the plant shut down.

By the other method the plant may be started directly with the raw milk. In this method valve 6 is thrown intoposition to feed raw milk into the system. Electrode cooling water is turned on, as before, temperature controlled contactor 20 is set at the desired pasteurizing temperature (say 162), switch 30 is closed, starting the pump, and switch 35 is immediately closed, which will put into operation the control system. The pump will operate until-the milk reaches electrode ll. The temperature of the first flow ofmilk will The pasteurizing temperature will' be far below the pasteurizing temperature due to the fact that regeneration'of heat in the coils ill has not yet been established. Arm 35 will engage contact 33 causing the regulator motor to set regulator 55 to supply maximum voltage to section 26 so as to accelerate the heating action. Arm 36 will engage contact 36 and operation of the controls will follow as described under Abnormal low temperature control, the pump starting and stopping, and tests being made by bulb 2! until the milk reaches the proper temperature, at which time it will be permitted to leave the heating chamber.

This milk will again be followed by milk below the minimum pasteurizing point, because of the fact that regeneration has not yet been established, and this second lot of milk will be retained in the electrode chamber until it reaches the proper pasteurizing point, as previously described.

This operation will continue until finally enough milk has been permitted to pass to bring the regenerative temperature up sufficiently high to permit continuous operation. The plant will then go into normal operation until all of the milk has been pasteurized.

The process of shutting down is practically the same as in the first method except that fresh water may be used to drive the milk out of the system.

In this system the preheater ill is preferably designed to raise the temperature of the cool liquid approximately two-thirds of the temperature rise desired and the heating chamber adds the necessary additional heat units to raise the liquid to the pasteurizing temperature. From the foregoing it will be seen that part of the heat is added conductively through the preheater coils and part of the heat is added electrically in a plurality of stages, which stages are capable of being regulated so as to out one stage in or out of circuit and to vary thevoltage applied to the other stage, so as to afiord a maximum flexibility of control.

In designing the system above described, it is planned that it will take some ten seconds for the milk to flow through the heating chamber. A gradual variation of the power supply to the entire length of the heating chamber would not produce a full efiect of the adjustment until ten seconds after adjustment ceases.

Therefore, adjustment actiom would continue until the milk at the top of the heating chamber reached the desired temperature, but after this time, when the adjustment action ceases, the temperature would continue to rise for approximately ten seconds.

In the case of lowering the temperature the same eiTect would be produced and the lagging result would be to produce a constant hunting above and below the required pasteurization point. The longer the heating chamber, the wider range of this hunting action would be produced. Counterwise, the shorter the chamher, the narrower the range of hunting, but in the case of the shorter chamber it would be necessary to reduce the rate of flow or increase the voltage applied'in order to accomplish the desired result.

I therefore in effect, by providing a plurality of pairs of electrodes, divide the chamber into a number of sections. The lower section serves as a preheater and the upper section, being quite short, has just enough capacity to take care of the ordinary temperature variations. In

this case I make the upper section of the electrodes short enough so as to reduce hunting to something below one half a degree of temperature change and yet give it sufficient capacity to take care of all necessary adjustments under normal conditions.

In case the pump motor is shut down due to the temperature falling below 160 or such other minimum as may be predetermined, the milk flows backward and downward through the electrode chamber for additional heating. It is desirable toadd approximately 35 or 40 degrees to the milk temperature while flowing through the chamber under action of the pumppressure.

The backward or downward flow due to the action of gravity is only about one quarter as fast as the flow provided by the action of: the pump. If the full voltage was still supplied to "the heating chamber while the milk flows downward, it would add four times as much heat as was produced by the forward or upward flow or about 120 in addition to what it already has. This would be likely to bring the temperature very much above the safe point and seriously impair that portion of the milk under treatment which, when mixed with the previously treated milk, would ruin the batch. Therefore, when the pump stops and the milk flows downward, I deenergize the larger lower section of the heating chamber and only supply current to the upper shorter section so as to avoid the danger of raising the milk to too high a temperature.

I claim: 1

1. In a liquid heating system, a heating chamber having at least two pairs of electrodes, means for applying alternating current to the pairs of electrodes, thermostatically controlled means for varying the voltage applied to one pair of electrodes while maintaining the voltage applied to another pair and means for forcing liquid through the heating chamber.

2. In a liquid heating system, a heating chamber having two pairs of electrodes, means for applying alternating current to the electrodes, means for forcing liquid through the heating chamber, thermostatically controlled means for increasing the voltage applied to one pair of electrodes when the temperature of the heated liquid fails a certain amountand stopping the \forcing means and cutting off current from the other pair of electrodes when the temperature falls a certain greater amount.

' 3. In a liquid heating system, a heating chamber having two pairs of electrodes means for applying alternating current to the electrodes, means for forcing liquid through the heating chamber, thermostatically controlled means for increasing the voltage applied to one pair of electrodes when the temperature of the heated liquid falls a certain amount and stopping the forcing means and cutting off current from the other pair of electrodes when the temperature falls a certain greater amount, and means for starting the forcing means when the level of the liquid falls below a certain point. r

4. In a liquid heating system, a heating chamber having two pairs of electrodes, means for forcing liquid upwardly through the chamber, thermostatically controlled means for reducing the voltage applied to one pair of electrodes when the temperature of the heated liquid rises above a predetermined point and for decreasing the voltage applied to this pair of electrodes 'when the temperature falls below a certain point and for stopping the forcing means and cutting off the current applied to another pair of electrodes when the temperature falls a certain greater amount.

5. In a liquid heating system, a heating chamber having two pairs of electrodes, means for forcing liquid upwardly through the chamber, thermostatically controlled means for reducing the voltage applied to one pair of electrodes when the temperature of the heated liquid rises above a predetermined point and for decreasing the voltage applied to one pair of electrodes when the temperature. falls below a certain point withcut changing the voltage applied to another pair of electrodes.

6. In a liquid heating system, a heating chamber having a plurality of pairs of electrodes, an electric motor driven pump for forcing liquid upwardly through the heating chamber and permitting liquid to flow downwardly through the heating chamber when the pump stops, means for varying the rate of flow of the liquid through the heating chamber, and thermostatically controlled means for varying the voltage applied to one pair of electrodes when the temperature of the heated liquid varies a predetermined amount and cutting down the voltage applied to the other pair of electrodes.

7. In a liquid heating system, a heating chamber having atleast two pairs of electrodes, means for forcing liquid through the heating chamber at a controlled rate, means for applying alternating current to the pairs of electrodes, thermostatically controlled means for varying the voltage applied to one pair of electrodes and means for cutting off the voltage applied to another pair of electrodes 8. Ina liquid heating system, a heating chamber having two pairs of electrodes, means for applying alternating current to the electrodes,

v.means for forcing liquid through the heating ,rent to the electrodes, means for forcing liquid through the heating chamber, thermostatically controlled means for increasing the voltage applied to the shorter pair of electrodes when the temperature of the heated liquid falls a certain amount and stopping the forcing means and cutting off current from the other pair of electrodes when the temperature falls a certain greater.

amount.

10. In a liquid heating system, a heating chamber having two sets of electrodes, one set of which is much longer than the other set, means for applying a substantially constant voltage to the longer set and means for applying a variable voltage to the shorter set.

ting off current from the longer pair of electrodes and means for applying a variable voltage to the shorter pair of electrodes.

12. In a pasteurizing system, a heating chamber having two pairs of electrodes, one pair being longer than the other, means for forcing liquid through the heating chamber, means for stopping the forcing action when the temperature of the heated liquid falls below a certain degree and permitting the liquid to return to the heating chamber and at the same time cutting off current from the-longer pair of electrodes, means for applying a variable voltage to the shorter pair of electrodes and means for starting the forcing action when the liquid has been returned to the heating chamber.

13. In a pasteurizing system, a heating chamber having two pairs of electrodes, one pair 01 which is much longer than the other, means for forcing liquid through the heating chamber, means for applying a substantially constant voltage to the longer pair of electrodes, means for applying a variable voltage to the shorter pair, means for increasing the voltage applied to the shorter pair when the temperature of the heated liquid falls a certain amount, and means for deenergizing the longer pair of electrodes when the temperature of the heated liquid falls below a certain lower point and at the same time stopping the forward flow of liquid through the heating chamber andcausing the heated liquid to return to the heating chamber.

14. In a pasteurizing system, a heating chamber having two pairs of electrodes, one pair of which is much longer than the other, means for forcing liquid through the heating chamber, means for applying a substantially constant volttage to the longer pair of electrodes, means for applying a variable voltage to the shorter pair, means for increasing the voltage applied to the shorter pair when the temperature of the heated liquid falls a certain amount, means for deenergizing the longer pair of electrodes when the temperature'of the heated liquid falls below acertain lower point and at the same time stopping the forward flow of liquid through the heating chamber and causing the heated liquid to return to the heating chamber, and means for starting the forward flow when the liquid has returned to the heating chamber.

15. In a pasteurizing system, a'heating charm-- ber having a pluralitjoipairs of electrodes arranged with one pair above another,,means for applying an alternating current to the electrodes, means for forcing a liquid to flow upwardly through the heating chamber, means for stopping the upward flow when the temperature of the heated liquid falls below a predetermined point and simultaneously cutting off current from one pair of electrodes while the liquid flows downwardly in the heating chamber, means for restarting the upward fiow when the liquid in the heating chamber falls below a predetermined level and means for changing the voltage applied to at least one of the other pairs of electrodes when the temperature of the heated liquid changes a predetermined amount.

BENJAMIN E. GE'ICE-ELL. 

